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Equipment in your brewery you couldn't do without? Biggest 'treadmill'?

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  • #16
    Originally posted by mmussen View Post
    .... As for the biggest treadmill - in my experience that ends up being anything where one tries to cut a corner, or going frankenbrew. I don't know how many headaches I've dealt with that could have been saved by doing it right the first time.
    Hear, hear! And all the money that could have been saved in the long run....
    Timm Turrentine

    Brewerywright,
    Terminal Gravity Brewing,
    Enterprise. Oregon.

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    • #17
      Very Useful: a Zahm. A decent semi-auto keg washer.

      Not very useful anymore: the 10 gallon pilot system. Ain't nobody got time for that!

      For a long time our filter was in need of repair and wasn't being used. (Purchased before opening, used.) Then I needed it badly enough to fix it. Now we filter all the things. So it was a treadmill until we metaphorically started exercising properly...
      Russell Everett
      Co-Founder / Head Brewer
      Bainbridge Island Brewing
      Bainbridge Island, WA

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      • #18
        Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
        Most hose and brewery supply houses can make them up. CPE has very good prices on very good hose, but we went with Associated Hose Products out of Portland, OR to save the shipping--we just had our truck driver pick them up. Excellent quality, great support.

        After consideration, the biggest "white elephant" in our shop is the Z&N bottle airs tester. I can never get any meaningful readings from this thing--it's all over the place no matter how careful I am--and very fragile and expensive (not to mention a little intimidating to use).

        For every ten or so folks who wouldn't be without a carbonation tester, you will find one that says they never use one and never have problems. I drove a car with no fuel gauge for many years, and it worked fine--most of the time.
        Thanks man!
        Originally posted by grnis View Post
        Can't think of a single thing that's particulary useful, so I'll name a few.

        Hose free installation. No hoses, except for co2. Saves time, more sanitary and saves workers.
        Flow meters are an amazing thing to have. We have 5 volumetric flow meters and two mass flow meters. Just could'nt imagine life without them now.
        Dissolved oxygen meter have been invaluable to have when trying to increase shelf life.
        I'm curious, what lines are you running hose free? I can think of some not likely to be hard lined.

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        • #19
          Bump for a great thread! Keep the info flowing!

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          • #20
            Some more little things that really matter:

            An NIST (expensive) or ASTM (less expensive, but same standard) calibrated MIG thermometer to calibrate your bi-metal, dial thermometers. Use it frequently!

            Same for a pressure gauge calibrator. Again, use it frequently--I try to calibrate our critical gauges every week, and often find them to be 1-2 psi off. Calibratable pressure gauges are great, but the only source I know of for these is Zahm & Nagel. These gauges aren't fluid-filled nor sealed, so have to be rinsed and oiled at every calibration.

            Calibrate all thermometers and pressure gauges in the range in which they'll be used. If you're measuring mash temp, calibrate around 150-170F. For ferms, calibrate around 50F. Pressure gauges usually get calibrated at 14 psi here.

            Without accurate, precise thermometers and pressure gauges, you're just playing a guessing game.
            Timm Turrentine

            Brewerywright,
            Terminal Gravity Brewing,
            Enterprise. Oregon.

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            • #21
              Zahm is a great one for sure. Can you make lots of good beer without one hell yes. Consistently? Maybe, how is your sense of bubbles? Having a Hot Liquor Tank is huge, after seeing many breweries without one I try to imagine life without, seems like a real pain in the ass. Just really depends on your brewery, where your bottle neck will be. I really save a lot of time with our pin point carbonator, but it does not make sense for all size breweries.
              Joel Halbleib
              Partner / Zymurgist
              Hive and Barrel Meadery
              6302 Old La Grange Rd
              Crestwood, KY
              www.hiveandbarrel.com

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